As gas prices have continued to rise, so have recent fraud attempts at the pump. “While there’s no formal law enforcement metric to measure the trend, one in four convenience store gas station owners say fuel thefts have been rising since March,” states Jeff Lenard, vice president of the National Association of Convenience Stores. Additionally, NBC reported that also since the month of March, police have arrested at least 22 people across the country for trying to manipulate fuel prices. 

For Wayne fuel dispensers specifically, criminals are searching for and purchasing the remote controls that are typically used by station owners and fuel inspectors in online marketplaces. Because many station owners have not changed the key code from the default setting, criminals are able to use these remotes to lower the fuel cost during their visit at the site, then change the price back before leaving. To remediate this issue, it is critical that you have updated the key code from the default setting if you have not done so already.

If you suspect fraudulent activity is taking place at your site, immediately contact the police and record as much information about the suspect as you safely can.